The Start of a New Day

So far, it’s been a pretty good day. I didn’t really want to, but I got up and went to play basketball this morning at the Church. My game wasn’t its best, but I had a few good passes, a steal, and knocked down a couple shots.

I have also showered this morning, which is nice. And I’m dressed and ready to focus!

I wanted to start my day, though, with study. Becky and I had a good talk last night about our AEIOU’s. I felt it was helpful to hear her perspective on things and to give mine as well.

I love her so much and want her to feel trust in me and know that I’m here and I’m working to surrender and live in recovery.

Which brings me to the topic of my study today –

Surrendering to God

Who in the scriptures surrendered to God?

What does surrendering to God really mean?

Why is it so helpful to surrender to Him?

Some Answers:

Who in the scriptures surrendered to God?

• Jesus Christ
• Nephi
• Lehi
• Jacob
• Enos
• Alma the Younger
• Alma the Older
• King Mosiah
• Ammon
• Captain Moroni
• Nephi & Lehi
• Abinadi
• The Brother of Jared
• Mormon
• Moroni
• Joseph Smith
• Noah
• Daniel
• David as a boy
• Saul/Paul
• Sinners in the New Testament
• Jonah
• Job

  • “I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” (Job 19:25–26.)

What does surrendering to God really mean?

My answer would be submitting my will to His, doing what He wants me to do despite the sacrifice or pain or humiliation that may come, being humble and prayerful, and being willing to do what He knows is best for me.

The only way to know what He thinks is best for me is to be in constant communication with Him.

I think about Enos in the Book of Mormon – he prayed all day and all night in order to know the will of God and to received a remission of his sins.

Alma did the same thing:

Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance. (Alma 8:10)

I’m not sure of the context of this scripture, but I feel it’s a good one about surrendering too:

Behold, I say unto him, he exalts himself and does not humble himself sufficiently before me; but if he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see. (D&C 5:24)

To “exalt himself:” this is pride and thinking I can do things on my own. This is the opposite of humility. The way to surrender and humble myself is stated in this scripture too – “…mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of [my] heart.”

How did Jesus Christ surrender to God?

From a talk titled “Jesus the Christ:”

What Christ desires from each of us is surrender, complete and total—a voluntary gift of trust, faith, and love.

CS Lewis stated:

Christ says, ‘Give me All. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don’t want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down. … Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked—the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours.’” (Mere Christianity, New York: Collier Books, 1960, p. 167.)

As I search for examples of Christ surrendering (I’m sure there are quite a few), I do find a correlation between surrender and conversion. In “Converted Unto the Lord” by Elder Bednar he shares:

I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him” (Omni 1:26)

…earnestly coming unto Him and giving our whole souls as an offering requires much more than merely knowing. Conversion requires all of our heart, all of our might, and all of our mind and strength (see D&C 4:2).

the key characteristics associated with conversion are experiencing a mighty change in our hearts, having a disposition to do good continually, going forward in the path of duty, walking circumspectly before God, keeping the commandments, and serving with unwearied diligence. Clearly, these faithful souls had become deeply devoted to the Lord and His teachings.

I really like what this says and relate it to Mosiah 4:30:

Line upon line and precept upon precept, gradually and almost imperceptibly, our motives, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds become aligned with the will of God. Conversion unto the Lord requires both persistence and patience.

Conversion, and surrender, are not a one time thing – they are a process, something I have to practice over and over and over again. Conversion, or surrender, is having a true change of heart – no more disposition to do evil but to do good continually.

This is another example of surrender:

“casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Pet. 5:7.)

I’m grateful for the study today. It’s been broken up a bit due to emergencies with a client, phone calls, and little Ty screaming, but I feel good about what I’ve studied today and want to continue to study about surrendering my will to God and how Christ exemplified this act throughout his life.

Hasta luego!

Nate